The Nation's Pulse
Who Are These People?
If our president didn’t know before he does now. Just listen to him tonight.
Short months ago, on that historic night in November 2008, liberals dared to dream that their intention to reshape the country in the image of the modern Democratic Party would soon come to fruition. While blithely surveying the very blue electoral map, they peered into the future and envisioned a two-term president gifted with long-lived majorities in both houses of Congress. Not content with their overwhelming victory, they arrogantly proclaimed the death of the conservatism and joyfully danced on the grave of Ronald Wilson Reagan.
They looked forward to decades of legislative dominance with which to fulfill their goal of pushing America toward the socialist utopia of their dreams, and salivated at the chance to reshape the Supreme Court in order to keep it that way. And it all would be so easy, now that the country had finally been won over to their side.
And they dove right in with the confidence of a movement that was convinced they had won a large and lingering mandate for change. From risky stimulus packages to the nationalization of the healthcare industry; with plans to implement cap and trade and even to “slow the rising of the oceans,” they came to save America from itself.
But when the light of day shone on the details of their agenda and all the wheeling and dealing behind it became apparent, support for the president and his plans came crashing down and with it, their aura of invincibility, as evidenced by the Massachusetts rebellion. So, what happened? What can account for the change in the attitudes of even Bay State voters? Who are these people?
History has struggled to identify these voters for decades; ever since the left started making bold yet covert moves to draw our country into the socialist web woven by FDR and fomented by the radical 1960s. Nixon called them “the silent majority,” but under the failed presidency of Jimmy Carter, they were dubbed “Reagan Democrats.”
Yet now that the White House is occupied by a man who, rather than delivering on a new message of hope and change to the nation, instead seeks to deliver the same old socialist menu served up by his progressive predecessors, they are branded as “tea partiers.” But they are what they have always been: Americans who — although sometimes lead astray by one lustrous personality or another — value our personal liberty and intrinsically understand what has made this country great.
And so there was no death of Reaganism; not only did it not die, it was never really born. It has grown organically since the days when our forefathers developed the notion that man might be able to live free from government tyranny and control. If anything, it awakens when that sense of personal liberty is at risk.
What has happened then is simply that America has come back to her senses; she has no stomach for the coddling of terrorists, disdains government control of private industry and is generally suspicious of big government and the high taxes and spending that accompany it. That may sound like the agenda of conservatives, but it’s really only a description of Americans from 1776 onward.
My favorite line of the Declaration of Independence is this accusation of King George: “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.” This country never has, and hopefully never will swallow the idea that our money should be fodder for the hungry maws of big-government bureaucrats.
It’s ironic then that a major theme of President Obama’s address will not be the saving of whales, recalling all U.S. troops or even the further bankrupting of filthy rich capitalists. No, the advertised highlight of the speech will not focus on these or any other such lofty rhetoric dear to the ears of his worshipful minions; it will be his shameless effort to recast himself as a deficit hawk. Welcome home, America.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (62) | Leave a comment
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Ret. Marine| 1.27.10 @ 6:46AM
and so it continues, the beat of what is American goes on to another day to fight the good fight against the wannabe tyrants of the ages. The little o is no different from these scales. He sought to "fundamentaly change this Nation" he still is found wanting. This does not mean he will not continue on his march, because of his personality, he will continue to be put in his place by the very people he continues to tell his fairy tales to. We aren't buying his tales, the scales have fallen off our eyes. It will be interesting to hear him esplain away his failures and watch the expressions on his face this evening. Although I can't stand to hear his voice, or look at his mugly ugg, I'm not missing this, I want to count the ways a person can actually lie, cry and complain because We the People need to see what a spoiled man-child is capable of if we are to continue to send him to time-out, we do have three more years of his temper tamtrums to witness.
Appleby| 1.27.10 @ 7:19AM
The one reality never faced or admitted by the parents of Generation Whine, who spouted this blather in 1968, was the lifeline on which their cushy lifestyle depended: the regular cheques from Mom and Dad.
TheKids have opened the post office box and found it empty of anything but pamphlets, posters and invective. Mom and Dad are not only tapped out, they are disgusted, and sending a message even TheKids cannot mistake.
Now the Leader of TheKids is trying to figure out how he is going to Party when he has no cash -- and what he can say to get those cheques flowing again.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.27.10 @ 7:20AM
Americans are glutton for punishment. They proved that with Bill Clinton, voting him back after he lied with aplomb.
Now we have an even greater deceiver in our midst. Just recently, Obama claimed that he closed the revolving door on lobbyists in Washington, while it's evident his own cabinet is full of lobbyists and their allies, some of whom continue to loot the Treasury to this day.
It's amazing anyone continues to listen to Barack Obama. His lies are obvious and easy to disprove, yet much is made of his every move, including this speech.
I think the Tea Party crowd missed an opportunity here. They should hold a press conference tonight, not focused on Barack nor focused on his lies.
The focus should be on the ever growing challenge of reigning in big government. That was another Clinton lie.
If the Republicans simply offer a rehash of big government without calling for reductions in the size of federal agencies, it probably won't make much difference what Obama states tonight.
It will simply be another speech full of political imbroglio, seasoned with political hubris and hot air.
In short, there is no real leadership in Washington, D.C. Many come to do good, and they stay to do well.
CopyKatanj| 1.27.10 @ 10:50AM
"Many come to do good, and they stay to do well. " A great comment line.
snowball| 2.28.10 @ 6:41AM
HEAR ! HEAR !
Melvin| 1.27.10 @ 7:27AM
B.H. to take your comment a step further. "There is no real leadership in Washington D.C. only permanent campaign managers."
Pingback| 1.27.10 @ 7:45AM
Who Are These People? | Republican Party of Door County links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Wicked Dickie-Virginia| 1.27.10 @ 8:19AM
We got this guy and Slick Willie because the Democrats and their co-criminals in the legacy media covered up their seamy side. Now, we have "a multitude of New Offices" (czars) and "swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance". Obama-ayers and Clinton had so much popularity and could have done so much FOR this country but neither could overcome his overwhelming narcissism so, we are cursed with another fecklesss man-child who'll stick us with another mess to clean out---hopefully, soon.
Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 1.27.10 @ 8:51AM
What the abusive, overspending Government doesn’t understand right now is, just how pissed off we “the People” really are. And as a personnel example of this, last year I was in Iraq on my latest tour there, and when I got the opportunity to get back home for two weeks of leave, I used one of those few precious days back home, to attend the rally down in Washington D.C. on 9/12, to do my part in this “silent majority” uprising. Just to find out, at the end of the day, driving my niece and nephew back home to New York, that only 60,000 people attended the rally that day. Really, only 60,000? Because from where I was standing, it looked like there were at least 60,000 people, just waiting on the Porta-John lines.
So they’ve been ignoring us, belittling us, downplaying us, redefining us, laughing at us, but the one thing they won’t be able to do is, to stop us. They ignored 9/12, Virginia, New Jersey, and maybe they’re thinking about ignoring Massachusetts too, but it’ll be at their own peril. November is coming, and unlike the Liberals in Oregon yesterday (another lost State), the rest of the Country, is going to use common sense when they cast their vote. And common sense, and the Democratic Party, has never been used in the same sentence, without it sounding like a really bad joke. We’ll see who’s laughing come November!! You really want change? You got it Pal!! The Tea Party movement in America is me, and I’m pissed off, and I’m not going to take it anymore!! Let’s join together, to destroy the Liberal Progressive Democratic Party in America, and save this Country’s future.
ds80| 1.27.10 @ 2:41PM
Thank you for your service, LLL.
Nov 2010: Time to refresh the tree of liberty.
Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 1.27.10 @ 6:03PM
Thanks, for the thanks!! And don't forget, to start sharpening your Ax, it's a big tree.
MikeBee| 1.27.10 @ 9:25AM
Lisa,
Right on! The rise of the Progressive political movement has been a curse on America now for over 100 years. Much damage has been brought to our society by the Progressives (Communists/Socialists). First, the creation and rise of Unions and their demands on the profits and capital created by corporations. Then, the beginning of the taxation of the income of citizens, overturning a Supreme Court decision of 1895, which had stated that taxing citizens' income is unconstitutional. Then, the lengthening of the Great Depression, with FDR's progressive policies. Then, the creation of the nanny/welfare state under Johnson, which completed what Democrats had been trying to do for so many years, since before the Civil War: to hold blacks down, and ensure that it would be even harder for them to share the American Dream. Then the legalization of abortion, in support of women's rights. Then Carter's economic shambles. And now the economic mess caused by Obama and others.
For the past 100 years, the Progressives have consistently tried to pull the U.S. down, attempting to "equalize" power and wealth across all nations. They have fought for the U.S. to lose every war in which we have fought. In fact, during the Cold War, progressives were very active in supplying information to the U.S.S.R. They have fought to bring down our economy, and have often succeeded in weakening it. They have often caused the recessions that have we have lived through in the past, especially this one we are in now. Progressives have always despised and fought against religion and free religious expression, and have always fought for bigger government and more expansive government power.
It's time to rid ourselves of the progressives for good. Their ideas have already been disproven all over the world, yet they continue to believe that, if Communism is tried "properly," taken to mean in a situation where there is enough money to support their zany ideas, that it will succeed. It's time to see Progressives for what they really are: a cancer on the People's Body which needs to be removed.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.27.10 @ 9:25AM
Amen, Triple L., Marine!
Melvin and O'Stalin really have overlooked some class act "would be leaders" in the Senate and House.
I personally truly admire Jim DeMint, and Cornyn,
and in the House, there are several crackerjacks.
A couple I have had visits with particularly impressed me deeply, most of all Culberson here from Houston.
So no, we got some good chiefs...we just need a whole bunch of good Indian warriors.
(Heh, then we gotta' supervise them well from day one.)
saleboter| 1.27.10 @ 9:36AM
Peggy Noonan had a grreat article about the NUTS (demos) and the CREEPS (pubbies). We elct the Creeps who run on conservatism and then procede to spend money like hell. Fed up we elect the Nuts who then do the same. And on it goes.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.27.10 @ 4:59PM
Saleboter
You outed yourself under this handle. You gotta' get Mr. Axlerod to give you another one.
Peggy Noonan hasn't written a "great" article in years.
You are stupid.
Wiseman| 1.27.10 @ 9:11PM
I got as far as Peggy Noonan had a gre..... and stopped reading.
Deborah D | 1.27.10 @ 10:10AM
Lisa -- Thanks so much. Many Americans who didn't vote for The One had done their research (much from this site, thank you all!), their reading, blogging, e-mailing -- trying to get the word out before the election. We all went to bed on election night with a sense of dread for the future of the country.
After the first stimulus and Rahm's famous "never let a crisis go to waste" -- that dread and fear turned into determination to fight for our country. Tea Parties rising!
I liken us tea partiers to mothers protecting their kids -- fierce, determined, focused. Take that and multiply it by millions, and that's what they're up against.
"Courage is fear that has said its prayers." -- Unknown.
Al Adab| 1.27.10 @ 10:23AM
Good quote Deborah.
The Tea Party movement, if it is one, has yet to define itself fully. Beginning as a collection of several perspectives with a simple focus, the future is not yet clear. Perhaps the convention upcoming may help. Conversly it should not be seen as simply an arm of the GOP. It is not that and should avoid being coopted by them.
Whether it becomes an alternative Party in its own right is problematic. Likely the best approach is to use the resources it provides ( ala ACORN) money and feet on the groud, to finance and support individual candidates such as happened in NY-23, Mass. and Rubio in FL. Selective support of individual candidacies would be a great asset both to the Tea Party and the nation.
Hopefully we will see a platform or statement of values emerge from the convention. Those who might sign on could expect support. Others not. The organization needs to define both its purpose and its goals in order to play the significant role it may have in the future.
Deborah D | 1.27.10 @ 10:33AM
Hey Al -- You might find this interesting. This is one of the goals of the Tea Parties -- a contract from America. I think the plan is to have those running sign on to something like this. We'll see. http://www.contractfromamerica.com/Idea.aspx
As the Tea Parties near their first birthday, lots of learning our to be a potent force is happening right now. Check it out here: http://politicallyempowered.wo.....ent-force/
Deborah D | 1.27.10 @ 10:34AM
oops -- should be "learning how to be"
Al| 1.27.10 @ 11:16AM
Deb, don't hold my misspellings and typos against me and I'll overlook yours. Big fingers and arthritis...oh well.
Thanks for the link. I am on our local T-Party board and we a going through these growing pains too. Clear statements of goals and plans really are needed. All of us together in a commen interest can greatly influence the future.
Pingback| 1.27.10 @ 11:35AM
The American Spectator : Who Are These People? | americantoday links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 1.27.10 @ 1:13PM
Best quotes from Jim Carrey | Motivational quotes | Jim Carrey Celebrity Monitor links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Franklin| 1.27.10 @ 2:34PM
“I want to count the ways a person can actually lie, cry and complain because We the People need to see what a spoiled man-child is capable of if we are to continue to send him to time-out”
Perfectly stated, Ret. Marine!
“Now the Leader of TheKids is trying to figure out how he is going to Party when he has no cash -- and what he can say to get those cheques flowing again.”
Appleby, I sure hope Mom and Dad aren’t fooled.
“It will simply be another speech full of political imbroglio, seasoned with political hubris and hot air.”
Good point, Bill Hussein O'Stalin. Someday one of little o’s speeches will be beaten in the ratings by a Daffy Duck rerun.
“So they’ve been ignoring us, belittling us, downplaying us, redefining us, laughing at us, but the one thing they won’t be able to do is, to stop us.”
Right on! Lullaby's, Legends and Lies, you have pegged it.
“The rise of the Progressive political movement has been a curse on America now for over 100 years.”
MikeBee, I’m not new to politics, but I’ve never focused on just what was wrong with the liberals. I’m learning more about who the progressives are (recycled socialists, fascists, marxists, communists) and what their intent is. For a long time I believed that the majority of the left were sincere in their desire to help people but just wrong in how to do it. That may still be true, but now I see how the progressive movement has hijacked the liberal movement. I wonder how many Democrats are now looking around saying, “Wha’ the …?”
It’s like when the Global Warming Alarmists hijacked the environmental movement. I’m an old tree hugger from way back, but when the greenie-meanies started their religion, I rebelled. It made me sick that it turned into a way to make money and power.
Poor Democrats (the good people – if there are any) must rebel. There really needs to be two parties: (Old) Democrats and (New) Progressives. The same for the Republican party: (RINO) Republicans and Conservatives.
Hum, come to think of it, the Old Democrats and RINO Republicans should just combine to form the Demopublican party (or maybe Republicrat party).
Franklin| 1.27.10 @ 2:36PM
Sorry about the long post above - it's just that everyone said so many GOOD things!!
Louis Jenkins| 1.27.10 @ 3:30PM
Tonight the administration will express concern over you"the little guy," the meat and potatoes of this nation. All his life the Pretender n Chief has worked as a community organizer for the benefit and support of those who consume Federal dollars, entitlements, and hand outs-not for those who produce dollars for consumption of the Federal machine. These producers have received scorn, disrespect, and are the butt of many statist jokes. You can literally work a horse to death, beat and whip it if its not pulling fast enough, but if its not nourished, rested, and taken care of, it will drop dead in its tracks. Obama's mouth pieces are calling it a recession, but european news sources are calling it a depression. The workhorses of this country are at a breaking point. Only they're not going to die! They're beginning to kick, buck, bite, and rear. The burden pulled is too heavy, and cannot be moved by so few doers. Instead of lightening the load he has applied the whip. This night will be Obama's attempt at getting the livestock back under control, in the barn, and getting them to pull again, but we have a secret, don't we? It ain't going to work. Deception, lies, arrogance, only go so far. Get out of the way Obama, or be trambled by the herd.
Louis Jenkins| 1.27.10 @ 3:35PM
Addition: The statist newmedia will heap praise on the speech. They'll call him brillant and cerebral. Then point out how lucky we are to have a leader who speaks to all the nation. (Sorry, Trambled= trampled.)
Flee| 1.27.10 @ 4:42PM
I hope someone will provide us with a count of how many times he says "middle class" tonight. That class is quickly turning away from the annointed one. Let's see if the ones who create jobs are granted any praise or if it will have to be the One on a white steed coming to rescue us all from ourselves.
Jimmy Carter| 1.27.10 @ 5:32PM
Count how many times he says, "I....."
LibertyAtStake | 1.27.10 @ 5:51PM
I've been randomly reading articles in the "SOTU analysis" category all day - this is by far the best of them all.
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
Pingback| 1.27.10 @ 10:45PM
The American Spectator : Who Are These People? Children Me links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Alan Brooks| 1.27.10 @ 10:52PM
Iranian male protesters are macho Arab men interested in a kinder, gentler, Persian Islamofascism. A long long long row to hoe til democracy. I wont live to see it-- and you might not either.
C'mon, Mr. Tabin, conservative doesn't mean pollyannish.
Alan Brooks| 1.27.10 @ 10:54PM
Oops, wrong blog.
The guy was right-- too much hooch.
Alan Brooks| 1.27.10 @ 11:01PM
Pardon,
Apology is in order: the photo going with this blog shows a group of tea protesters; the photo that accompanies the Iranian-protester blog immediately above it disoriented my alcohol-addled pate.
So sorry.
Petronius| 1.28.10 @ 1:23AM
Nostalgia ain't what it used to be, and our infantile electorate never learned any history, ergo we keep getting ObamamBushed and vice versa. 1 Of all the articles in Magna Carta only a handful remain in force. 2. 4 and a quarter centuries later Charles I proflagacy bankrupted his Kingdom resulting in civil warre. 3. 2010 and the attempt to turn the United States of America into never-neverland by taxing the competent for to subsidize every deficiency of Obama's herd leaves us on the brink of.... Where's Oliver Cromwell when we need him? Real American Conservatives sprang from his ilk. We are honest, industrious, and virtuous. And we want a government that will cleanse this nation of the predators, perverts, and parasites who afflict us because we pay for the results of their destructive behaviors in treasury, property, and blood. That is all.
Pingback| 1.28.10 @ 1:40AM
The American Spectator : Who Are These People? | Drakz Free Online Service links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
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